Camden Park

Huntington, West Virginia, USA

One of the last remaining Trolley Parks in the USA, Camden Park hosts a collection of vintage rides and a scattering of more modern attractions, headlined by Big Dipper, a 1958 National Amusement Devices traditional wooden rollercoaster.

Camden Park is an amusement park on a small piece of land between US-60 and the Ohio River in Huntington, West Virginia. It is one of the few
remaining Trolley Parks in the United States - parks which were built at the end of streetcar lines (or at interchanges as in the case of Camden Park)
to encourage people to travel at the weekend.

The Camden Interstate Railway Company opened a picnic spot on the site in 1902, but the park sees 1903 as the official founding date as the
first ride - a carousel - did not arrive until the following year.

Today, Camden Park's rides include Big Dipper, a National Amusement Devices wooden rollercoaster from 1958; Lil' Dipper, a kiddie woodie also from
National Amusement Devices; and Hawnted House, one of only two Pretzel haunted house style dark rides operating in the USA - the other is
Devil's Den at Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania.

Many traditional amusement parks have fallen on hard times in recent years, with lots of them being lost and replaced by housing developments, offices or
retail stores. Others are still clinging on, lovingly cared for by owners and staff with very small financial resources. Unfortunately, Camden
Park doesn't feel very cared for. When I visited in 2016 it felt dirty and rundown, with things that could easily be fixed without any money being spent just left
undone. The "B" of the Big Dipper ride sign had fallen off, for example, enticing riders to the much less inviting sounding Ig Dipper rollercoaster. Some might call this classic Americana, but I call it laziness.

Camden Park is a disappointment. With a little time and attention, it could be a lovely park, but at the moment it is a big let down.